INTERIM RECOVERY PLAN NO. 329 WILSON’S WATTLE (Acacia wilsonii) INTERIM RECOVERY PLAN 2012–2017 October 2012 Department of Environment and Conservation Kensington Interim Recovery Plan for Acacia wilsonii FOREWORD Interim Recovery Plans (IRPs) are developed within the framework laid down in Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM) Policy Statements Nos. 44 and 50. Note: Note: the Department of CALM formally became the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) in July 2006. DEC will continue to adhere to these Policy Statements until they are revised and reissued. Plans outline the recovery actions that are required to urgently address those threatening processes most affecting the ongoing survival of threatened taxa or ecological communities, and begin the recovery process. DEC is committed to ensuring that Threatened taxa are conserved through the preparation and implementation of Recovery Plans (RPs) or IRPs, and by ensuring that conservation action commences as soon as possible and, in the case of Critically Endangered taxa, always within one year of endorsement of that rank by the Minister. This plan will operate from October 2012 to September 2017 but will remain in force until withdrawn or replaced. It is intended that, if the taxon is still ranked as Endangered, this plan will be reviewed after five years and the need for further recovery actions assessed. This plan was given regional approval on 24 September 2012 and was approved by the Director of Nature Conservation on 30 October 2012. The provision of funds identified in this plan is dependent on budgetary and other constraints affecting DEC, as well as the need to address other priorities. Information in this plan was accurate at October 2012. IRP PREPARATION This plan was prepared by Robyn Luu1 and Andrew Brown2. 1 Project Officer, DEC Species and Communities Branch, Locked Bag 104, Bentley Delivery Centre, WA 6983. 2 Threatened Flora Coordinator, DEC Species and Communities Branch, Locked Bag 104, Bentley Delivery Centre, WA 6983. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The following people provided assistance and advice in the preparation of this plan: Anne Cochrane Senior Research Scientist (Threatened Flora Seed Centre), DEC Science Division Jessica Donaldson Threatened Flora Database Technical Officer, DEC Species and Communities Branch Amanda Shade Assistant Curator (Nursery), Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority Niall Sheehy Flora Conservation Officer, DEC Moora District Benson Todd Nature Conservation Coordinator, DEC Moora District Thanks also to the staff of the W.A. Herbarium for providing access to Herbarium databases and specimen information, and DEC Species and Communities Branch for assistance. Cover photograph by Emma Richardson. CITATION This plan should be cited as: Department of Environment and Conservation (2012) Wilson’s Wattle, Acacia wilsonii Interim Recovery Plan 2012–2017. Interim Recovery Plan No. 329. Department of Environment and Conservation, Western Australia. 2 Interim Recovery Plan for Acacia wilsonii SUMMARY Scientific name: Acacia wilsonii Common name: Wilson’s wattle Family: Fabaceae Flowering period: February to October DEC region: Midwest DEC district: Moora Shires: Carnamah, Coorow, Dandaragan NRM region: Northern Agricultural Recovery team: Moora District Threatened Flora IBRA region/: Geraldton Sandplain Recovery Team (MDTFRT) Subregion Leseur Sandplain GS3 Illustrations and/or further information: Cowan, R.S. and Maslin, B.R. (1999) Acacia miscellany. 17, miscellaneous new taxa and lectotypifications in Western Australian Acacia, mostly section Plurinerves (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae). Nuytsia 12(3), 449-451; Western Australian Herbarium (1998−) FloraBase − The Western Australian Flora. Department of Environment and Conservation. http://florabase.dec.wa.gov.au/. Current status: Acacia wilsonii is declared as rare flora (DRF) under the Western Australian Wildlife Conservation Act 1950 and is ranked in WA as Endangered under International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN 2001) criteria B1ab(ii, iii, iv)+2ab(ii, iii, iv); C2a(i); D due its extent of occurrence being less than 5,000km2; its area of occupancy being less than 500km2; severe fragmentation of populations; a continuing decline in area of occupancy, area, extent and/or quality of habitat and number of locations or subpopulations; no subpopulation estimated to contain more than 250 mature individuals; and population size estimated to be less than 250 mature individuals. The species is not listed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act 1999). The main threats to the species are road, track and firebreak maintenance, inappropriate fire regimes, reduction of factors positively influencing reproduction, weed invasion, Phytophthora dieback and future mining operations. Description: Acacia wilsonii is a low shrub to 30cm tall with horizontal branches bearing terete erect phyllodes, which are sessile, continuous on the branchlets and up to 13cm long. The flower heads are globular, golden yellow in colour, with stalks about 1cm long. The flowers have united sepals. The legumes are linear, subterete, to 5.5cm long and contain oblong dull brown seeds (Patrick and Brown 2001). Habitat requirements: Acacia wilsonii is endemic to Western Australia where it is found between Eneabba and Badgingarra, north of Perth. It grows on hills or slopes on grey, pale yellow-brown or pinkish sandy clay or loamy sand over a reddish pink laterite in open heath. Habitat critical to the survival of the species, and important populations: Acacia wilsonii is ranked in WA as EN and, as such, it is considered that all known habitat for wild populations is critical to the survival of the species and that the wild populations are important populations. Habitat critical to the survival of A. wilsonii includes the area of occupancy of populations, areas of similar habitat surrounding and linking populations (these providing potential habitat for population expansion and for pollinators), additional occurrences of similar habitat that may contain undiscovered populations of the species or be suitable for future translocations, and the local catchment for the surface and/or groundwater that maintains the habitat of the species. Benefits to other species or ecological communities: Recovery actions implemented to improve the quality or security of the habitat of Acacia wilsonii will also improve the status of associated native vegetation as well as a seven Declared Rare and 24 priority flora species. International obligations: This plan is fully consistent with the aims and recommendations of the Convention on Biological Diversity, ratified by Australia in June 1993, and will assist in implementing Australia’s responsibilities under that Convention. The species is not listed under Appendix II in the United Nations Environment Program World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), and this Interim Recovery Plan (IRP) does not affect Australia’s obligations under any other international agreements. Indigenous consultation: A search of the Department of Indigenous Affairs Aboriginal Heritage Sites Register revealed no sites of Aboriginal significance adjacent to populations of Acacia wilsonii. Input and involvement has been sought through the South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council (SWALSC) and Department of Indigenous Affairs to determine if there are any issues or interests. Indigenous opportunity for future involvement in the implementation of the Recovery plan is included as an action in the plan. Social and economic impacts: The implementation of this recovery plan may result in some social and economic impact. For the population occurring on private property (Population 3) this may be through the loss of land available for development and impacts on land management practices. For populations on land vested with the Shires of Carnamah, Coorow and Dandaragan (1, 2b, 2c, 4, 5) economic impact may be through restrictions imposed on the management of 3 Interim Recovery Plan for Acacia wilsonii these lands, in particular the maintenance of roads and roadside vegetation. There is also a cost involved in implementing recovery actions. Affected interests: The implementation of this plan has some implications for land managers, including private landholders and the Shires of Carnamah, Coorow and Dandaragan, particularly where populations occur on lands not specifically managed for conservation. Evaluation of the plan’s performance: DEC, with assistance from the Moora District Threatened Flora Recovery Team (MDTFRT), will evaluate the performance of this plan. In addition to annual reporting on progress the plan will be reviewed and evaluated against the criteria for success and failure following five years of implementation. Existing recovery actions: The following recovery actions have been or are currently being implemented: 1. Stakeholders have been made aware of the existence of this species and its locations. 2. Extensive surveying was undertaken for Acacia wilsonii in 1991 and 1992 by DEC Science Division. 3. Population 3 of Acacia wilsonii has been fenced. 4. Declared Rare Flora (DRF) markers have been installed at Populations 1 and 5 and Subpopulations 2b and 2c. 5. 2,398 seeds collected from Acacia wilsonii Population 1 and Subpopulation 2a are stored in the DEC Threatened Flora Seed Centre (TFSC) at –18 C. 6. An information sheet, which includes a description of the plant, its habitat type,